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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Bret Bielema (1st season) 2005 record: 10-3 (Beat Auburn in Capital One Bowl) Big Ten finish: 5-3 (t-3rd) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 37th (168.2 ypg) Passing: 50th (228.4 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 79th (167.5 ypg) Passing: 88th (249.9 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 #Bowling Green Sept. 9 Western Illinois Sept. 16 San Diego State Sept. 23 at Michigan Sept. 30 at Indiana Oct. 7 Northwestern Oct. 14 Minnesota Oct. 21 at Purdue Oct. 28 Illinois Nov. 4 Penn State Nov. 11 at Iowa Nov. 18 Buffalo # Cleveland,OH Depth Chart: Offense 2 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 19 Paul Hubbard Jr. 13 Marcus Randle El Jr. WR 88 Jarvis Minton Jr. 85 Jeff Holzbauer Sr. LT 72 Joe Thomas Sr. 62 Mike Van Someren Jr. LG 75 Andy Kemp So. 64 Danny Kaye Jr. C 65 Marcus Coleman Jr. 60 Luke Knauf Jr. RG 63 Kraig Urbik So. 93 Mark Gorman Sr. RT 71 Eric Vanden Heuvel So. 70 Andrew Weininger Jr. TE 82 Sean Lewis So. 43 Andy Crooks Jr. QB 7 John Stocco Sr. 12 Tyler Donovan Jr. FB 44 Chris Pressley Jr. 34 Bill Rentmeester So. TB 39 P.J. Hill Fr. 38 Dion Foster Fr. Depth Chart: Defense 7 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 95 Joe Monty Sr. 34 Kurt Ware Jr. DT 96 Nick Hayden Jr. 54 Mike Newkirk So. DT 91 Jason Chapman So. 99 Justin Ostrowski Jr. DE 5 Jamal Cooper Jr. 92 Matt Shaughnessy So. WLB 46 Jonathan Casillas So. 49 Ryan Flasch So. MLB 41 Mark Zalewski Sr. 52 Elijah Hodge Fr. SLB 7 DeAndre Levy So. 50 O’Brien Schofield Fr. CB 27 Jack Ikegwuonu So. 26 Zach Hampton Sr. CB 17 Allen Langford So. 3 Ben Strickland Jr. SS 16 Joe Stellmacher Sr. 4 Johnny White Sr. FS 22 Roderick Rogers Sr. 25 Shane Carter So. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 10 Taylor Mehlhaff Jr. P 94 Ken DeBauche Jr. KR 26 Zach Hampton Sr. PR 13 Marcus Randle El Jr.

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After an unusual 6 a.m. practice last April, one that looked more like a slumber party than a workout by players serious about winning a championship, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema reiterated his expectations for the 2006 team and the program.

His message: Those unwilling to work usually are incapable of winning.

"If we're going to be able to establish anything over time that is going to be consistently good it has to be every practice," the first-year head coach explained. "And I don't think we were."

Bielema, handed the job last summer by then-head coach Barry Alvarez, now UW's full-time athletic director, did what most coaches would have done in that situation. He didn't want the poor practice habits he witnessed that day to become a habit.

However, another reason behind Bielema's immediate response is that he understands his first team possesses enough talent to build on the momentum established in 2005, when UW upset Auburn in the Capital One Bowl to finish 10-3. And if three key players return from injury and several young players develop quickly, UW could make a legitimate run at the Big Ten title.

OFFENSE

Bielema has two coaches back from Alvarez's final staff. One is second-year offensive coordinator Paul Chryst, who last season installed a successful and diverse screen package and displayed a feel for play calling. Don't expect the offense to match the numbers it generated last season, including a school-record 34.3 points per game.

Senior quarterback John Stocco, who has started 25 consecutive games and last season set school records for passing yards (2,920), TD passes (21) and completions (197), is back. But Chryst and Stocco must break in new wide receivers, new tight ends and new tailbacks. And did we mention that the returning anchor of the Wisconsin offensive line, senior left tackle Joe Thomas, is attempting to come back from a torn ACL suffered in the Capital One Bowl?

The best-case scenario for UW is that Thomas returns on time -- his rehabilitation was well ahead of schedule in the spring -- the line jells quickly and at least two running backs emerge so the Badgers can rely on their ground game early. The early candidates for significant playing time at tailback are redshirt freshmen P.J. Hill and Dion Foster, whose styles are complementary.

DEFENSE

With everyone healthy, this unit could be the best in the Big Ten. That might surprise observers given UW surrendered 400 or more yards eight times in 13 games last season, including a season-high 674 yards in a 51-48 loss at Northwestern.

However, if ends Jamal Cooper and Matt Shaughnessy make successful returns from ACL injuries, new line coach Randall McCray will have at his disposal two outstanding pass rushers and eight players who started at least one game last season. The deep front should allow three speedy linebackers, led by senior Mark Zalewski, to flourish. Remember that UW was without Cooper and Shaughnessy in the bowl game and still limited Auburn to 236 yards and 10 points, both well below the Tigers' season averages, in a 24-10 victory.

A strong front seven would also make life easier for the cornerbacks. UW has two players with starting experience in Jack Ikegwuonu and Allen Langford but no experienced depth.

SPECIALISTS

Punter Ken DeBauche and kicker Taylor Mehlhaff were consistent and at times spectacular. DeBauche led the Big Ten with a school-record 44.8-yard average. Mehlhaff made 14-of-17 field-goal attempts from inside 50 yards and is a weapon on kickoffs. The key for continued success on special teams will be to find a replacement for return specialist Brandon Williams, who consistently gave UW's offense outstanding field position in 2005.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Fans have eagerly awaited this season since whipping Auburn on Jan. 2 in Alvarez's final game. UW has won 11 of 16 Big Ten games over the last two seasons but continues to search for its first Big Ten title since 1999. Considering the personnel losses suffered by last season's co-champions (Penn State and Ohio State), the league race could be wide open. If Cooper and Shaughnessy return from injury, the defense and special teams will be championship-quality. If several young players develop quickly on offense, UW could make a run at that elusive title.